Delaware Fishing Reports

Water at NOAA buoy 44009 is sitting at 69°F as of June 16, and the warmth is drawing the season's first concentrated weakfish and croaker action onto the Coral Beds off Slaughter Beach. Smith's Bait Shop in The Fisherman's DE/MD/Chesapeake column reports both species have moved onto that structure, responding well to bloodworms and peeler crab. Black drum are working the same area on clams and peeler after dark. Over at the Bowers Beach jetty, Smith's is also seeing striped bass, trout, and flounder — stripers hitting bloodworms or cut mullet, flounder on live minnows. Old Inlet Bait and Tackle confirms a few stripers are taking bucktails and plugs in the narrow window before and just after sunrise, with bluefish in the mix. Eric Burnley's column in The Fisherman called this the first week all year with reliable fishing weather, noting action from the inland bays through the surf and out to the inshore lumps — a season that appears to be catching its stride.

7h ago

The Nanticoke River near Bridgeville is recording just 1.94 cfs this morning per USGS gauge 01493500, one of the lowest early-summer readings typical of a dry June stretch across the Christina and Nanticoke drainages. With water this thin, fish are consolidating in deeper holes, shaded channel bends, and any structure that offers cover and oxygen. Today's New Moon adds a useful edge, as lunar feeding windows tend to align with dawn and dusk, making the first and last hours of daylight the most productive. Catfish are in spawn mode across the mid-Atlantic right now; Wired 2 Fish notes the big fish push into the shallows but the reliable bottom bite "all but vanishes" until post-spawn. Largemouth bass are the steadier bet, transitioning into early summer patterns on deeper structure. No regional charter or shop reports are available this cycle to confirm specific catches on the Christina or Nanticoke.

13h ago

Tactical Bassin's summer bass breakdown is the playbook to reach for on Delaware's Christina and Nanticoke rivers this week. Post-spawn largemouth have left shallow flats and are now settling into deeper bends, shaded undercut banks, and weed edges as mid-June heat builds. No gauge or buoy data was available for this report cycle, so exact water temperatures and flow remain unknown — check USGS before launching. Wired 2 Fish's summer bass guide points toward medium- to deep-diving crankbaits and swimbaits for fish that have moved offshore, while Tactical Bassin highlights wobble-head jigs and shaky-head worms as a reliable one-two punch on bottom structure. The new moon tonight creates peak solunar windows at dawn and dusk, historically the most reliable feeding periods on these tidal-influenced systems. Catfish on the Nanticoke's deeper holes should be active, particularly after dark. Fishing the Midwest notes that weedlines are producing across the region for bass as summer sets in.

1d ago

Nick at Hands Too Bait and Tackle called the Delaware Bay black drum bite the best he's seen in at least 15 years, with boaters finding up to a dozen fish per night less than a mile off the beach, per The Fisherman — Southern NJ. Fish ranged from 15- to 20-pound class to slobs pushing 60 pounds, all falling to fresh clams fished in 10 to 18 feet of water on the moving tide. Pier 47 Marina confirmed the same story, with slipholders making the run to the Delaware Bay and connecting on drum. Closer to Slaughter Beach, Smith's Bait Shop (via The Fisherman — DE/MD/Chesapeake) reports black drum still holding at the Coral Beds, taking peeler crab first and clams second in the evening hours. Croaker and seatrout have also moved onto those same Coral Beds. With a new moon tonight, tidal exchanges will be running strong — prime timing for the overnight drum bite that has been driving all the excitement.

2d ago

Water in Delaware Bay is sitting at 68°F per NOAA buoy 44009, squarely in the textbook mid-June range, and the striper migration is running right on cue. On The Water's June 12 migration map confirms the push remains widespread from New Jersey to Maine, with the new moon and big tidal exchanges expected to keep driving bass and bait toward their summer haunts. That timing aligns perfectly with this weekend's new moon phase. On the regulatory front, Delaware Surf Fishing flagged a 20-24" slot size limit for stripers that typically takes effect around July 1: fish the current window but verify the latest DNREC regs before keeping anything. Winds are light around 7 mph, making for comfortable conditions on the bay. Weakfish, summer flounder, and bluefish round out the summer roster. No direct reports have them running hot, but seasonal conditions favor all three as bay water continues to build toward peak summer range.

2d ago

The June 12 striper migration map from On The Water confirms bass are spread from New Jersey to Maine, with new moon tides this weekend expected to push fish and bait toward summer haunts — placing Delaware Bay squarely in the active migration corridor. No local buoy or gauge readings were available for this cycle, so water temperature isn't quoted. Delaware Surf Fishing flagged ongoing closures at Cape Henlopen Fishing Pier: nearly 200 feet of the end section is fenced off, limiting access at that structure for surf anglers planning a shore session. Delaware Surf Fishing also notes that Delaware has historically run a 20-24 inch slot limit for striped bass beginning July 1 — verify current DNREC regulations before harvesting. No charter or tackle-shop reports specific to Delaware Bay were available this week. Summer flounder and bluefish round out the typical mid-June target list in the bay.

3d ago

Water temperature sits at 67°F per NOAA buoy 44009, and the Delaware Bay drum bite has exploded. Nick at Hands Too Bait and Tackle — reporting via The Fisherman — Southern NJ — calls the drumfish action the best he's seen in at least 15 years. Boaters are finding up to a dozen black drum per night less than a mile off the beach, with fish ranging from 15- to 20-pound class fish to 60-pound slobs. Fresh clams fished in 10 to 18 feet of water on the moving tide are the key, per Hands Too. Smith's Bait Shop, via The Fisherman — DE/MD/Chesapeake, reports that croaker and weakfish (locally called trout) have moved onto the Coral Beds off Slaughter Beach, with bloodworms and peeler crab the top baits. Black drum are also holding those same Coral Beds into the evenings. Delaware's striper summer slot season — 20 to 24 inches — opens July 1; check state regs before keeping bass.

3d ago

On The Water's June 12 Striper Migration Map confirms striped bass remain widespread from New Jersey to Maine, placing Delaware Bay squarely in an active corridor. The incoming new moon this weekend is expected to produce the month's strongest tidal swings, which On The Water notes should continue pushing bass and bait toward summer haunts. Anglers fishing the bay should key on current seams, channel edges, and drop-offs during peak tidal flows. Worth noting for surf casters: Delaware Surf Fishing reports that Cape Henlopen Fishing Pier has seen fresh closures, with nearly 200 feet of the pier's end now sectioned off, limiting access. No buoy data was available for this cycle, so precise water temperature readings are absent. The waning crescent phase is building toward new moon, typically one of the most productive feeding windows in a tidal bay system. Check local conditions and tides before launching.

4d ago

Scott Failor's new Delaware State Record Flathead Catfish — 36.20 pounds from Augustine Beach on a chunk of shad — is the headline this week, per Captain Bone's in The Fisherman's DE/MD/Chesapeake report. That record-setting catch points to a broader catfish surge in the region's tidal rivers: Captain Bone's reports steady catches of white perch, catfish, and the occasional striped bass from Augustine Beach down to Woodland Beach, with bloodworms, Fishbites, and cut bait all producing. Inland on the Nanticoke drainage, Smith's Bait and Tackle in Leipsic (The Fisherman — NJ/DE Freshwater) reports solid perch and crappie action, post-spawn bass actively feeding at Garrisons and Massey Mills, and snakeheads still turning up near dam spillways. USGS gauge 01493500 on the Nanticoke shows flow at just 3.78 cfs — low and clear — signaling a shift toward early-morning, finesse presentations as mid-June heat settles in across the drainage.

4d ago

The Fisherman's NJ/DE Bay regional forecast for the first weekend of June 2026 reports a solid variety of species along Delaware Bay's inshore grounds: striped bass, bluefish, black drum, and summer flounder are all in play. Fluke are showing in the wash and along inlet rocks, per The Fisherman, while sheepshead continue pushing northward through the region. On the Water's June 5th striper migration map notes that fish are beginning to settle into summering areas, though water temperatures are running a few degrees cooler than normal for this point in the season. That cooldown may be keeping transitional striper behavior active a bit later than typical for early June. No NOAA buoy readings were available for this report cycle, so confirmed water temperatures are not on hand. With the waning crescent moon on June 10th and summer approaching, bay anglers have a reasonable window to work structure and channel edges before the heat of summer reshapes the bite.

6d ago

NOAA buoy 44009 recorded 64°F water in Delaware Bay on June 9, with light winds and air temperatures in the low 60s. On The Water's June 5 striper migration map shows bass beginning to settle into their summering grounds across the mid-Atlantic, though water is running a few degrees cooler than average, a pattern that tends to keep fish active and on the feed heading into summer. OTW Saltwater's June 2 migration report documented a baitfish buffet from Long Island Sound northward, with 40-pound bass on bunker pushing toward Boston. Saltwater Edge Blog (RI) noted that as northern-bound fish push on, fresher bass from the south continue filling in behind them across the Northeast. Weakfish are also starting to show in the region per Saltwater Edge. Delaware's striper slot season typically kicks in around July 1 per Delaware Surf Fishing, making this week a prime open window to target quality fish before size restrictions tighten.

Jun 9

A record 36.2-pound flathead catfish caught June 1 on the Delaware River near Augustine Beach sets the tone for early June freshwater action across the region. Angler Scott Failor targeted slow-moving ledges in 17–23 feet of water with cut gizzard shad on bottom, landing the fish after a strong dawn bite that also produced multiple cats to 15 pounds (Wired 2 Fish). That deep-ledge, cut-bait approach translates directly to the Nanticoke's and Christina's deeper channel holes, where catfish are actively staging as summer heat builds. USGS gauge 01493500 shows flows at just 2.44 cfs this morning, indicating very low, concentrated conditions that push fish into the few remaining cool, oxygenated pools. Post-spawn largemouth bass are transitioning off beds and beginning to seek offshore structure; Tactical Bassin reports a wobble head jig paired with a shaky head worm as a reliable June combination for targeting fish on isolated structure. Last Quarter moon favors dawn and dusk activity windows.

Jun 8